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Marvel: 2010-08-22 - Legacy and Blood: To The Seventh Circle
Everything seems so strange on those stepping discs. Suddenly you are in your world, and then you are not. It feels like something is being parted unnaturally and when things are revealed it is muted. The stepping discs land, and one can witness people milling about aimlessly, crying and grieving. Words pleading for God's mercy on their lips. In the distance there is an open archway with a gate. Cyclops lands and step off the disc. He looks about attentively, finding the strange people unnerving, but they do not appear to be attacking him so he starts to move forward toward the gate as he looks around. "Kurt! Kurt?!" He calls out, hoping for an answer. Nocturne drops into a crouch after the unsettling way of transportation, looking around as her tail sways slowly. "Where the hell are we?" she asks nobody in particular, frowning at what's around them. By force of habit, she also shouts. "Dad? DAAAAAD!!" Ro steps back, a hand on her chest. She has been and always will be a deeply spiritual woman. "I do not think calling attention in this place is wise." She was shaken to the core and trying to keep herself under control. She did not want to think of what her abilities could do here, but she needed to know for the sake of the team. Her eyes glowing white as she let herself feel around at the weather in this foul place. Even if the weather possibilities were not the same as Earth's they were still Storm's to command. Hank finds himself in 'Limbo.' He looks around, "Oh Fearless leader, She wasn't suggesting that this is indeed Purgatory? Though I would suggest since none of us shuffled off the mortal coil, heading toward the gates would not be a wise idea." Though he sighs and mumbles, "There are more things in heaven and earth, Henry, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." He looks to Scott, "What you want us to do Cyclops?" Storm is able to whip up some wind and pull some electricity through her powers, but she isn't nearly as powerful as she is in her natural dimension. She is still not defenseless, and can still give 'hell' to anyone or anything that deems willing to bother her thankfully. Cyclops pauses and winces at Nocturne screaming out 'Dad'. "Kurt may not answer to that one Nocturne, no offense intended." He honestly didn't mean any. He looks around again, something triggering his mind. "One second." He moves forward, taking a few minutes to actually reach the gate. He looks through it. He looks back to the others a little sick feeling. "We are going to need what powers you can summon Storm I suspect. The winds are...blowing people around. If you can, try your powers closer to the gate. I think I know where we are now," Cyclops states. "Dante's Inferno. This is the unbelievers and the next section are those of lust." He looks over at Beast. "Do you remember how many circles we have to go through to get to Kurt?" "Yeeeaaahh..good point," Nocturne answers, shaking her head at herself. "That's what I'm used to calling him." She sticks close to the others as the gate is observed, every part of what they see putting her on edge. Then, "Dante's Inferno? Are you kidding me?!" Storm nods and she lifts up off the ground. "I am able to control the winds, though I do not know if we should let those trapped within them down. It would only slow us down." She didn't want to be on the ground and keeping herself up was simple. She was afraid, but was able to keep her fear in check. Just so long as she had room to move around her claustrophobia wouldn't trigger. "Tell me what you wish for me to do, Cyclops and I shall." Hank looks at Cyclops, "Depends what the sorceress accused him of that sent him here. There are nine circles of hell. If he's been peeping on the Witch. He's in the next area. If She thinks he's betrayed her, he's on level 9. Which has three inner layers and is icy. He'll look like Han Solo in carbonite or like that villain Bob...err Iceman put on ice last summer." "How about this. We either need to get through the winds without being picked up by them, or if we are, we need to be able to drop out on the other side. Whichever is easiest, and less chance of losing one of us," Cyclops says toward Storm. Not knowing the extent of her powers just yet, let alone in this strange dimension. Then toward Hank, "Likely murder or betrayal I would think. Murder is...violence, that has more than one sub-circle I believe." Cyclops is struggling to remember. But in the end, he opens the gate, feeling the wind pick up. "Ready Storm? Tell us which option is most efficient with your powers." As they prepare for the first part of their journey, Nocturne puts in, "We need to get to him as fast as possible. I wish we could help the others here but Kurt doesn't belong here and..we just need to get to him." It's hard to wait. "If the is ice, I can keep us warm." Said simply enough. "Do we know his accused crime? That would greatly help us locate him. The winds...they are carrying almost countless. There is no way to determine how many people are in each Circle. In Date's Inferno, was there not a guide for him?" Looking to Hank, she'd only heard a summarized version of the tale, having not read it herself. She nods to Cyclops, "This I can do." She moves in front of the group and extends her hands forward. Forming the winds around them in a circle. Combined with her ability to manipulate air pressure, she forms a sort of protective bubble around the group that will keep them on the ground as well as keep outside object from coming within. Her eyes glaring white as she looks over her shoulder to Scott. "This will suffice. I can raise us if need be, but it will tax me to do so. "Then we're going to the outer ring of Seven then. Rivers of Boiling blood, Alexander the Great in it up to his eyebrows and pissy minotaurs and centaur with flaming arrows. Cyclops you take me on the best dates." He looks to Storm, "He had a number of guides in all reality. But Well I guess I'm your hitch hikers guide to the Inferno. If you allow me to mix and match." He starts to lead the way. Cyclops then takes the group along on the ground without requesting Storm to raise them. He watches in an alert manner. "My guess, is people did things to deserve to be here...it is why you don't want to cross over the line Nocturne." He then nods at Beast's words, "I'll take you to a comedy movie next time playboy." He then asks on the way across, "By the way, did you pick a codename Ororo?" The Third Circle is Gluttony. As Dante once said, "The gluttons lie here sightless and heedless of their neighbours, symbolizing the cold, selfish, and empty sensuality of their lives." A monster with three heads with mouths travels in the constant, icy rain. Mud makes one's steps slippery and miserable. Nocturne puts herself mostly in the middle of the wind bubble, off to one side as she moves forward with the other three. "It's gotta be the murder one if what she said is right. I'm really not looking forward to this," she says, tail twitching as she darts a look this way and that at the things they see. "Storm." Said simply enough and smiling as she says it. "It is fitting, do you not agree? As for the better date, I shall claim it when I take Hank to the opera." She continues to walk, holding her formed bubble with ease. While it's size keeps her concentration, she's still able to focus on other things, like banter. Anything to keep light hearted in this place. "I should warn you all now, I am claustrophobic. Very claustrophobic. So long as I can move around I am fine, but the moment I cannot...." There was so much she needed to warn them of. But now was not the time. "It is fitting," Cyclops agrees. "Opera? You are the better man in this Hank." Scott would want to flee in the other direction when it comes to opera. Even Cyclops is nervous enough to word batter here. Soon enough, he feels the icy rain and works to step carefully in the mud and around bodies. He can hear the calls of the monster nearby. Scott frowns and says, "Mud. Its mouths were filled with mud. Nocturne. You and Beast are the quickest here. Gather up mud, and toss it in the monster's mouths. We then will go as quickly as possible to the next circle. Be careful not to fall down in the mud. "Well Uhm... It's a running joke Storm. Though he may be forking over the money for me going to the movie or maybe a double date if he ever admits anything about this mysterious Red head." Hank for once wishes he was wearing shoes. He starts scooping up the mud and feeding it to the monster, "I don't miss mud pies." Even with the wind Storm manipulates, it's not long before Nocturne's pretty wet from the rain that falls. "I'm going to need a long shower when this is over with," she grumbles, but she shows she's good at following the leader in this case as she works to take care of their task here and now. "We'll be sure not to let things get too close to you, Storm." The three headed beast sees you now. He starts running toward you, howling and tearing through the mud like nothing else! Cyclops then says, "Get ready...," he waits till the Beast is closer, "Now!" His hand at his visor to let out a blast if the plan doesn't work. Storm was also ready, should the plan fail. With the rain and wind, she was given a brutal arsenal should she have need to use it. Hopefully, it does not come to that. Willing to fight side by side with Scott without a second's thought and willing to follow his lead as well. Beast is trying to feed the beast with three faces the mud. As the creature moves to attack Hank He leaps up in the air and lands on the creature's back. Still trying to feed the creature mud. His jaw set and for once he's not spouting anything off. Also quite nimble, Nocturne plays hard to catch when the thing lunges at both of the blue ones, and she taunts it, "Open wide! It's feeding time!" More mud is flung as she adds, "Now I know a little what a monkey feels like when..oh never mind. Let's just move on!" The dog is shifting about and trying to shake off Beast while also chewing at the mud. But the group is in the clear, for now. Cyclops calls out, "Move it!" He is then moving quickly - as quickly as he can - through the mud and over the bodies of the gluttons to the next circle. When he reaches it, he will open the gate and move through, closing the gate behind him just in case once everyone is through. Storm quickly moves to Scott and puts her arms underneath his and lifts up as she flies past the beast. Moving quickly past and hoping to put the obstacle behind them. Landing she and Scott smoothly on the other side of the gate, it was faster than running through mud, at any rate. Storm the turns to see what the next area is like. She remains tapped into her powers, eyes glowing, just in case something sneaks up on them. Hank rides the beast like a bull rider. As the creature draws near the gate exit. He leaps forward using the creature to propel himself through the gate doing a triple summersalt through the air and hits the ground rolling coming up taking bows. "Here we have people fighting over great bags full of treasure. Welcome to Greed." The Fourth Circle, Avarice and Prodigality: Two hills facing one another, with people pushing rocks up with their chests. They call to one another: "Why do you hoard? Why do you squander?" An age old argument from two sides. They pay no attention to the group, allowing everyone to move through unmolested. The Fifth Circle, Wrath and Sullenness: Phlegyas awaits in a skiff on the river Styx. People float in the swift currents, crying for mercy and help. They go ignored by Phlegyas. Further in, one can see walls where fallen angels await. Outright battle here would be ill advised to say the least. Nocturne takes a more conventional route along to the next area, leaving the mud-eating monster behind as she leaps through. So long as they go unbothered, she doesn't complain. One they reach their next obstacle she looks more to Beast than the others. "What do we do now?" "I suspect we need coins to buy passage. Two coins per person I believe?" Cyclops moves toward Phlegyas. "Does the type of coinage matter? And is there any other way apart fearsome Phlegyas?" Phlegyas' voice is fearsome. "The coinage does not matter thee of living flesh. But those of flesh do not cross." Great, one that wishes to argue with the determined X-Men. Storm simply stayed at the ready. She was out of her element in more than a few ways. She looked back to the others, since they were obviously of flesh. She speaks softly, "I do not think he would like me moving us across the river without him..." Glancing back to the huge figure again. Hank sighs, "I got it." He makes his way up to the boatman, "We take a trip across the river. Keep your hands inside the boat at all times." He says holding out a handful of coins, "That so? Look I know it doesn't matter the coinage you get. But have you ever got a quarter like this?" Hank holds up an Illinois state quarter, "I've got enough new Quarters from different states to get us across.... And I got their uncle Andrew to go with them." Phlegyas becomes thoughtful. He hrms in a guttural and strangely airy way. "I have never seen these before," he confesses. He plucks one from Beast's furry palm, "Or a creature like yourself...for these, I shall ferry you across, and knowledge of what you be." It is unusual to get Phlegyas interested in anything but his job, he is generally a silent man. But he waits till everyone climbs in before starting to pole across. Giving a few wacks to the grasping sinners when they attempt for the skiff. Nocturne had a thought about something to try in case they weren't granted passage, but she keeps quiet for the time being instead. They've got a chance, best not to waste it. In she goes with the rest, keeping a cautious eye on their surroundings. Hank climbs into the boat, "Why my good sir, I am a member of Homo Superior. The next evolutionary stage of Man. Though if you want to know what I am. I'm a cookie monster." Storm releases her hold on her powers and steps into the crown of the giant. Letting Beast do the talking since he's the one developing the repertoire with the giant. She, too keeps an eye on their surroundings and chuckles at Beast's last comment. "I shall bear that in mind when giving gifts, Hank." Said softly. Cyclops is far from comfortable and is also thankful for Phlegyas' quick response with his pole to those wishing to tip the boat over in an attempt to climb into it. He leaves Beast to answer Phlegyas' question....at least until..., "I hate that turn. I rather be called a mutant." He half hides his face when Hank mentions a cookie monster. Phlegyas, "Homo-Superior? Sounds sinful. Perhaps we shall see more of your kind here. Though...a cookie...," and then there is a rattling sound of laughter. "Witty whatever you are." Soon enough, Phlegyas brings the group across the river and drops them off. "Good luck with the fallen angels," and he makes that rattling laugh again before he starts poling back with his newly prized coins. He is about as happy as he can get. The fallen angels are soon making horrible sounds, completely inhuman. Their appearances monstrous. You can hear the harpies calling and see them flying in the distance. They do not look like they will hear reason, as already some language is coming through, "Kill them....punish them....sinful creatures..." And then suddenly there is Daytripper floating on a stepping disc, which soon settles down. She steps off it. "She knows, she knows! We must hurry!" She sounds in a panic as she then turns toward the fallen angels. She lifts her arms into the air. "Hear me now fallen angels! I am a follower of the Winding Way!" Power seems to crackle around her. "I am power! Who shall step forward and face my wrath by impeding our entrance? How many shall fall?" The fallen angels are talking to each other now, whispering and pointing toward Daytripper. One of them responds, "Daughter of Sorceress Supreme, I know your scent. We will not sacrifice to your temper. She was here but a short time ago. But you must open the gate yourself, we will not stop you, but we will not help you," it hisses. Daytripper then moves toward the gate and with a sudden burst of magical power, the mighty rusty gates swing open with plenty of noise to go with it. She sways slightly, but then shakes her head. "We must go down." Nocturne remains quiet during their trip across to the other side, eyes looking almost more demonic in this realm. She'd probably fit in easily with some of the creatures down here, were she more like them. When they reach their next barrier she doesn't look too confident about their chances, at least until Daytripper reappears. "I was wondering where you got off to! We could've used you back there!" Maybe not as much as they do now when she stands before the fallen ones and challenges them. To Nocturne's surprise they back down, but even as the way forward opens once more her concerns grow larger at the news she hears. "We need to hurry! Come on!" Hank replies to Storm, "Just put a bow on yourself." Though that's about the last thing he says for the boat ride over. He looks up at the Demons. "What a time for Angel not to be with us." Though he does smile with Daytripper shows up and quickly heads into the gates and down, "We just left the nice part of hell." A smile offered to Hank before they face their new deterrent. Storm nods to Daytripper respectfully and follows after through the gates. Eying the harpies still, however. Grateful for Daytripper's sense of timing as they hurry on. "Nocturne, we will find him, worry not. But this is Hell and we cannot move faster than our means else we end up trapped here alongside your father." Cyclops is surprised, but not complaining. He wasn't liking the odds. Fallen angels theoretically aren't supposed to be weak opponents, and theoretically immortal. In either case, he is soon heading down with the group. "What should we expect?" He is all business right now. You can hear the questioning tone, as he wonders why the fallen angels backed down. "I'm so sorry this happened," Daytripper says. "Luckily they fear my mother, and she taught me my path, though I am not as powerful as she. They did not know that however. So...I bluffed them. The next area we need to rush through. It is the Minotaur that guards the Seventh Circle that is of great concern to me." The Sixth Circle as the team moves downward has souls trapped in flaming tombs. The circle of Heresy. But Daytripper ignores it all and rushes forward. When the Minotaur comes into view however, he is already prepared for battle. "The fallen angels or harpies must have warned him! We do not have the element of surprise. He is very powerful, this is not going to be an easy battle, especially since I had to open that gate against the fallen angel's will." "Look, all I care about right now is making it through this and getting out in one piece with everybody safe," Nocturne tells Daytripper with a frown. "We'll deal with /her/ if we have to." When they finally get to the Seventh Circle and their problem is laid out before them, she asks, "Oh my God, a minotaur? We have to get past that?" Where will they begin? "Got a good reason for taking the easy way out." Hank says to Day tripper, "Look you guys, I'm going to go give him my salutations. I believe you guys have need of my physical abilities and not my expanded vocabulary." With that Hank winks, "Watch out for the Centaurs and I'll catch up." With that the Beast lets out a feral growl and goes loping along the ground at full speed at the Minotaur. His shouldered lowered and he was going to hit the creature hard like his football days before he could lift 10 tons and move at 40 mph. Storm then steps forward, her eyes glowing white. Her hands raising up to the air, "Even the most powerful foe is ruled by balance." Beast would have seen Ro do this once before. Her hands coming together to clap once. For all the build up, nothing truly visual seems to happen. However, Ro's ability to control air pressure was not something to underestimate. She seems to compact the inner ear and ruin the Minotaur's equilibrium. And if not that then it will put the creature in a world of pain. Which isn't a great thing, seeing as a creature in pain tends to attack without heed. Cyclops isn't about to let Hank do this alone. He lets out a blast from his visor toward the Minotaur's chest of close to his full power - well, the full power level he allows himself, not his full power level in reality. Three attacks together, will hopefully do something useful. The Minotaur roars as he feels the pressure and takes a step back from Cyclops' blast. But it raises its hammer and uses it to block Hank's attack. The creature is powerful and quick! "You shall not pass! I do not fear those of the Winding Way!" It roars and bellows, glaring with glowing yellow eyes at those before him. As it becomes clear from the start dealing with the minotaur will not be as easy or fast as the rest of what they've got through so far, Nocturne acts. So far her hex-bolts have done little but annoy it but there's an ace in the hole she knows about that the rest don't. "I've got an idea. If this works, you'll know it. Just distract him long enough for me to get close," she tells the others, circling around to one side so she can approach without the minotaur seeing. It helps to have the element of surprise on her side and when Nocturne's within range she leaps at the back of the creature. Rather than landing atop it there's a strange flash and she disappears. All of a sudden its efforts to combat them cease. From the Minotaur's mouth and in his voice, "Guys! It's me, TJ! I'm inside! Hard to control, though..I'll hold him. Hurry..I'll catch up!" It looks almost like it's fighting itself to keep from moving toward them. A couple times, the hammer is swung at some of the Minotaur's allies, knocking them aside like nothing. Ro blinks in surprise when Nocturne...well, she'd rather not dwell on that thought and takes the advantage as it's given. Storm is quickly moving past the Minotaur and heading towards the gate of the Seventh Circle where Kurt is being held. Ro taking a higher ground by lifting from the earth and holding her pace with the rest. Hank does a hand stand out of the way when he's nearly smashed. Then he scratches his head, "Well that explains why she doesn't smell like flocculence like her dear old father." He then hops away and heads to open the gate and get his team mates through. Kurt Wagner is feeling weak, his struggles to emerge from the blood river paused as he tries to focus his mind, trying to find a way past the arrows that keep knocking him back into the boiling river once again. He mutters to himself scripture to try to focus "...and at the Ninth Hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthami?' which is 'miene God, miene God, Why hast thou forsaken me?' Und some of those who stood by und heard it said 'Behold, he calleth Elias.' Un one ran und filled a sponge with vinegar, the put it on a reed und raised it to his lips to drink saying 'Let alone. Let us see if Elias will come to take him down.'...." his arms and legs move mechanically, being in a lull moment where the pain has become and overall dull roar throughout his body... but the viciousness of the place is that for a moment, the pain will all pass only to make the burn of it all the more sharp and distinct when it returns moments later. All of it make it difficult enough to focus on anything else, especially with the cries of others in the river of boiling blood around him. It seems he's oblivious to the short-lived battle that went on with the Minotaur. Focused instead on his own personal torment. Cyclops calls out, "Be careful!" He is moving however, and he holds the gate open for Nocturne, waiting for her. "Go find Kurt!" The order sent to the other two, as Cyclops watches for Nocturne. He knows he can do more damage if he wishes, but he is...he doesn't...he holds his place. He will do what he has to, to get Nocturne to safety, he only hopes he doesn't have to do that. A few more moments and Nocturne is practically forced out of the Minotaur's body just as she releases her hold, the struggle too great to maintain. It roars its immense anger at being taken over in such a way as TJ leaps back out and away, stumbling through the gate with a gasp. "Oof.." She shivers, looking back over her shoulder as the group again moves on. "That..sucked." She reaches for the hand of Cyclops and uses his assistance to continue with a grimace. The Centaurs are more interested in keeping those in the river, well, in the river. They shoot flaming arrows at those trying to escape, sending them back into the boiling river of blood. It is a horrible thing. With cries of pain and suffering. One voice is above the others, holding to his faith to survive the days or torment, though there is no sense of time in this wicked place. Storm flies up and her eyes burn as she gestures her hands forward, calling up the winds to throw the trajectory of the arrows off their course. "Beast! See if you can reach him! Get him to swim!" Channeling her strength into the winds to keep the centaurs from being able to fire and strike their targets without some serious luck on their side. They just need a moment and they will be able to get Kurt out of the...water. Yes, it's water. We're going to go with water. Hank pauses for a moment he looks down at the boiling blood and he pauses, "I shall see what I can do. He draws closer to the lake of fire. "Though I walk through the shadow of the valley of death. I shall not fear for though are with me. You are my rod and my staff." Then he continues silently to himself, the idea of boiling blood unnerves the hero. He catch sight of Kurt and he reaches out as far as he can, "Kurt, We're getting out of here! Let's go... While we can." Kurt Wagner blinks in surprise as he hears someone else reciting scripture rather than the usual screams, cries and begging of the other inhabitants of the lake. The voice is... familiar... could it be? or could it just be another of the torments of the place. He blinks in surprise as he sees Beast. But unlike him, Hank's fur isn't sodden with the thick steaming blood. "Meine Freund? Are you here as a prisoner as well or another torment?" Part of his mind screams that it must be a trick, an excuse for the Centaurs to add more arrows to the others that already pierce his flesh. But inside he still has that spark of hope. And that's what pushes him onward as he moves towards the edge, expecting any moment to hear the whoosh of launched arrows as they fly to embed themselves into his scalded flesh. Confusion starts with the Centaurs and they are attempting to beat back those climbing out. "Stop interfering!" The seem to call in unison in inhuman voices. One tries to shoot at Kurt, but his arrow is sent a-wall by Storm. It is chaos. Daytripper is moving forward, "Kurt, you must hurry!" Tears are in her eyes, falling down her cheeks. "I brought your friends here to help save you from mother, hurry please!" She's working hard at not crying, at seeing the burned flesh Kurt suffers from. Cyclops checks the gates again, to make sure they are secured before turning to see what he can do to help. It appears under control. "Nocturne...no shocks for Kurt right now," he says after seeing the condition his friend is in. He swallows hard. "Let's get ready to escape, wherever 'escape' is." It isn't like they still have those stepping discs, unless they travel all the way back past their last quite large and powerful issue. "Look Kurt, there's not much this Episcopalian boy can say.... But your not suppose to be here and sometimes the Lord doesn't send angel per say to shut the lions mouths or stand in the fiery furnace with you. But we're hear none the less and you got to come with us now!" Her voice echoes surreal with the winds, "Beast, Cyclops...I cannot hold this much longer." She continues to mimic the swirling winds of Lust. She calls out to the Centaur in a powerful voice, "I will stop if you let the one we've come for pass! The others are of no consequence to us but we will let them all free of this boiling blood lest you agree!" Nocturne's jaw hangs open at the horrible scene laid out before all of them. "God.." she whispers in disbelief, but it looks like there's enough left in her to keep going now that she's gathered herself again from the efforts to stall the minotaur on the other side. "There's no time," she tells Cyclops with a shake of the head. "I have to help!" She rushes ahead now that she sees the urgency of Kurt's situation, using the distractions going on to get closer to Beast. "Take my legs, hold me out to him. I can reach.." She's also got enough control of her body to keep rigid when she needs to be. "Take my hand, dad..Kurt. Please..I'll explain when we're safe." Her hand is just like his. It almost hurts to see him in this state. It works...the Centaurs seem to consider this. Anyway, it isn't as if you can escape, or so they think. In unison they answer, "We agree! We will let that one by, if you stop interfering with our duty otherwise!" One of the Centaurs kicks a wannabe escapee with a hoof, to send them flying back into the boiling river of blood. Cyclops moves in closer to Daytripper, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We must be ready, you said your mother knew. Should we expect her?" He is alert and watchful, trusting his team and company to get Kurt out of the terrible situation he is in. Kurt Wagner climbs out of the river with Nocturne's help. He can't help standing there a moment in shock as no arrow has pierced his flesh to knock him back and there's a woman standing before him that could be his twin sister. Absent mindedly he reaches to pulls the others free from his body before he moves towards Beast, "Miene Freind I thank you." His brow furrows in confusion as he tries to sort everything out. He blinks at Daytripper, "Jimaine? Ist that you truly?" He starts to move towards her... "I have your word." Storm's eyes seem to fade in their glare as she lets the winds finally drop. She quickly lands on the shore, breathing heavily and visibly sweating for her strain. She keeps herself steady however and turns to look to the gathered before looking to Daytripper. "We need to be free of this place. Quickly as we came if that is possible." She wanted to be home, out of this Purgatory and free in fresh air and cool breezes. Nocturne grimaces as a little of the boiling blood touches her own skin. He had to stay afloat in that, while getting shot at? "Stay close..you're hurt," she says, unsure what else to do just yet. He barely looks old enough to be her brother, let alone her father! As she looks around at the rest of what's going on she shadows Kurt, ready to help. "Your welcome my friend. Though lets get out of here. I think we've got a lot of question to ask. We'll get out of here in due time." He looks around, "Please tell me we can click our heels together now? Cause there is no place like home." "Yes," Daytripper says toward Scott. "We must hurry...," but she can't help it. She sees Kurt so hurt and greeting her. "Yes, it is I." She steps forward and so gently touches his cheek. She speaks magical words, and some of his pain leaves him though he is still badly hurt. "That should block the worse of the pain my love. We must hurt, mother she..." Her words are cut off however as the green demonic form of Margali Szardos stands behind the group and speaks, "Will stop you. How could you betray your blood daughter?" Her words holding a tinge of anger and confusion. She holds a golden staff which glows at the top of it. Cyclops says, "We have to get you to the Med Bay," and then draws in a sharp break at the appearance of a demonic Margali. "That's your mother?" If only it was She-Hulk, things would be a lot better. But then Cyclops steals himself, "Some of us may not know the details, but we know Kurt does not deserve to suffer so. We will stand by his side as his friends and comrades." "We have to /get/ there first," Nocturne says of the medbay, but like the rest her attention turns toward the demonic woman with a gasp. "Margali?" she begins, recognizing her. Well, not the Margali /she/ knows but some things are fairly consistent. "This is wrong and you know it! He'd never murder anyone and whatever you think you're doing, it's making it all worse!" Kurt Wagner kisses Jimaine tenderly, it's like stepping out of Hell and into Heaven literally to see her again after so long. But before he can respond, there's an interruption of Margali's appearance. He moves to put himself between Margali and Jimaine, trying to look confident and protective despite the clotting blood that covers his body and the wounds that have just started to heal. "She no more betrays you than I did Mutti. She serves you even though you fail to see it by trying to correct an error you made. I say again, I am no murderer. I have mourned Stefan's loss every moment since it happened und I will the rest of my life. I would have given my life for his if it had been the chance. But I did nicht murder him!" Ro smiles gently as Daytripper eases some of Kurt's pain. That smile is quickly gone as Margali Szardos appears and Storm stands firm. "You may not have this one. We will not allow it." Putting a considerable amount of resolve into her words. She looked tired, but not spent. She moved to stand with Scott between this demon and Kurt. "Do you not see love? No power, not in Heaven or Earth is able to truly stand between such love." Hank sighs and then Kurt is kissing the blonde then the mother in law from hell is here. Great he looks at her, "Look lady, it doesn't matter if he did or he doesn't but your not God. You don't have the right to judge anyone. He grants people the chance of redemption." "He is right, please, believe us! This is wrong mother!" Daytripper sounds passionate about it. "Kurt is family, he would not betray us. I do not know exactly what happened, but I have thought about it and thought about it. Kurt would not murder Stefan on purpose! He loved Stefan, as we did." "If you did not murder him, then why is he dead?!" Margali is sounding more like the grieved mother, something more...human than she looks for sure. She slams her wand down, and even those unable to sense magick can feel her power. Ro should likely be more sensitive to it. It is...monstrous. "So he could be god and jury to my son, who was not in control of himself?!" Cyclops can't help but admire Kurt. Alright, he forgives him fully for the motorcycle incident. "Kurt is not a lair." Cyclops has his own pain and guilt to deal with, with the death of his foster father by his own hands or rather beam. "Sometimes the situations we find ourselves in, the worse happens. It is not from maliciousness, but rather from hopelessness." Kurt Wagner moves towards Margali, trying to get around the others, "I can nicht tell you the answers of why for I am nicht a God und would not presume myself to be. Stefan was maddened. By the magical power he feared inheriting that he could nicht control, by the Demon you claim was possessing him. In the end it does nicht matter. he was mad und killing helpless innocent children. I tried ti restrain him. Wishing to bring him to you so you could help him. But... it happened... I didn't want it to happen, but it did. Und he died. Und I cried... I know you hurt. I know you miss him Mutti... because I share that hurt und pain und it burns me inside far more than this lake could ever do in a hunded years to my outside." The parallels to the Nightcrawler from Nocturne's world are eerie. They make her shiver as she stands with this reality's Kurt. "It was an accident. You can't punish someone this way for an accident." Even as the sense of magic is felt, invisible to her, she stands taller. It's almost like seeing double with her next to Kurt, until he moves forward. "This won't take away the pain. It'll only make it worse. Do you want to be without two sons instead of one because of something you did because you were angry and hurt?" Ro takes several steps back as the wand impacts the ground. She holds out her hand to the group and almost gulps as she steps forward. "All have lost. Everyone here has known grief and pain of loss. The only way to truly cope with that is to continue on as the people those gone wanted us to be. I do not know this Stefan, but would he want this? Would he wish to see his friend thrown into a lake of boiling blood?" Ro is trying to keep herself calm, but her hands tremble a bit. "You are of power I have never felt in my life. Yet you would use it to torment one soul when it is within you to use the power to seek the truth in his words and the pain of loss within him. If you do, you will see he suffers by his own torments. Far worse than yours." Daytripper says, "These people speak truth mother! Please! He is not of our blood, but he is of our heart. He is not of the Rom, but is part of us as friend and ally. Do not lose sight, that you have raised him as an infant as your own son," she pleads with her mother. "Please, we have lost so much lately. Do not have us lose Kurt as well." Margali doesn't know what to do at first. The words thrown at her with such sharpness, her daughter's own pleading, and Kurt's unending love. "Why? Why?!" And she cries as any mother would for her lost son. "I cursed the world...why him and not you? You are not of our blood...and yet here you are, after what I did, still calling me Mutti. If only Stefan had your strength...where did I go wrong?" She looks so tired all of a sudden. And then she taps her wand one more time, this time, the world swirling in darkness. Suddenly, the team finds their way back on the front lawn of the Xavier School but for Margali and Daytripper. Yet, there is a whisper left in Kurt's ear. "I forgive you, my son. Thank you for forgiving me."